Shapeshifter's Delight
by Archem
Summary: Derek and Cora are back in town, and a lot is changing. There are new creatures...and new feelings. Jealousy is one cruel mistress.
1. Smooth Criminal

It took me three tries to finally get this first chapter right, but I did it, and I think it should be well-liked. As far as the character Ranger Polis, I imagine him as looking something like Stefan from The Vampire Diaries, just to give you guys a visual. I hope everyone likes it. I would love to hear your opinions in reviews. Thanks for reading.

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"Now it's like anyone could appear to be human and be something completely different," Scott ranted to Derek.

It'd been about three months since Derek and Cora returned to Beacon Hills. They didn't return because they wanted to, though. Remember how Deaton told Scott, Stiles, and Allison that the ritual they performed to find their parents would draw things to Beacon Hills? Well, the first thing it drew there was a vampire. Predictable and well-known. Shouldn't have caused too much chaos, right? See, the thing about vampires that makes them so much more dangerous than werewolves is that they pretty much _need_ to harm humans just to be healthy. When a werewolf attacks, it's because it lost control or is just malicious in general. When a vampires attacks, it's usually for sustenance, so it happens a lot more often. So the initial reason Derek and Cora came back was to help Scott, Isaac, Ethan, and Aiden stop a thoughtless vampire from making a meal out of the residents of Beacon Hills, but they _stayed_ because they all knew that it was only the beginning.

"Okay, I tried playing nice, but we've gotta stake this guy," Derek declared.

"I'd hate to say, but I think he may be right. At first, he was just biting people, but now he's claimed a life, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna stand around and wait for him to claim another one," Scott said boldly.

They were having some sort of a "pack meeting". All the werewolves were there, plus Stiles, Lydia, and Allison. The only person that seemed to be missing was Peter. No one had seen or heard from him since Derek and Cora left.

"Okay." Stiles slammed a backpack full of vampire hunting aides onto the table. "I've got, of course, wooden stakes, along with some garlic, unproven, holy water, and crosses."

"And I've got these." Derek unsheathed his claws dramatically.

"Well, we can't all be so lucky, can we, Derek?" Stiles cited.

"No one knows where he's gonna strike next, so we need to set him up some how," Scott suggested.

"I have a nice bit of information that everyone will probably be glad to hear, except for...Stiles," Aiden announced.

"Oh, god," said Stiles, wondering what would be causing him grief on this lovely afternoon.

"The fact that this vampire attends our school has actually come in handy, because I've been talking to him. He confided in me that he has a crush on my brother."

"What? How come you never told me?" Ethan asked frenetically.

"Because it didn't matter. I was only talking to the guy because I knew he would eventually give me some information that would be useful in taking him down."

"And how exactly is him having a crush on me 'useful'?"

"Yeah, and why would I not be glad to hear that? Come to think of it, why would I care either way?" Stiles asked, baffled.

"Well, at first I thought we could use my brother to lure him to us, but he knows that my brother is dating Danny. I wouldn't wanna risk him figuring out that we're after him, 'cause then he might go incognito, and we'd never be able to stop him, so I volunteer Stiles," Aiden finished smugly.

"Come again? Oh, no. We are not about to whore out Stiles to some horny vampire as part of some sort of sick 'plan'. How do you know he even likes me anyhow? Oh, so, just because he's gay, he must like _every_ guy, right?" Stiles babbled.

"Actually, I asked him if he thought you were cute, and he said, and I quote, 'yes, so cute. Too bad he's straight.'"

"And he would be right...mostly. It doesn't matter, anyhow. The guy's gorgeous and he's got the whole Twilight leather jacket and updo thing going on, but I don't even know him."

"Stiles, I'm your best friend, so you know I always have your best interest in mind, but this is about saving lives," Scott told him heroically.

"Fine. How are we gonna do this?"

"It's simple, really. Just talk to him at school and gradually inject flirting. Try to make it seem as authentic as possible," Derek directed.

"Well, since your practically my pimp now, what's my hooker name, hm? Honeysuckle? Buttercup? Anything of the kingdom Plantae, really," Stiles recommended to Derek sarcastically.

Derek proceeded to roll his eyes and walk away from the ranting annoyance that was Stiles.

"The nerve of that guy. Partitions me out to every supernatural being in town then won't even give me a cool streetwalker name," Stiles said to Scott as they walked to his Jeep.

"I'm sorry that you have to do this. You understand that it's for the greater good, though, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Stiles confirmed half-assed-ly while starting his car.

"So, what did you mean when you said the vampire guy would be _mostly_ right in saying you're straight? 'Vampire guy.' What's his name, anyhow?"

"I know from having a class with him that his name's Ranger, Ranger Polis, and we both know that I've always been pretty curious about the same sex," he said unashamedly.

"I guess you are a pretty _open_ guy. Have you ever been curious about...me?"

"If you're asking if I've ever been attracted to you, the answer is not really. I mean, you're my best friend."

"I'm not hearing a 'no'," said Scott, smirking.

"All I'm saying is that, while I would never come on to you, it isn't like you're ugly or anything."

That put a smile on Scott's face.

"Thanks, buddy."

After Stiles had pulled up to Scott's house, Scott planted a firm kiss on his lips.

"Why!?" Stiles exclaimed.

"Because I think you're cute too!" Scott yelled toward the car as he jogged to his door.

Although what had just happened was weird, Stiles couldn't help but smile at his friend's eccentricity as he drove himself home, arriving there just before ten at night.

Stiles received a text as he walked upstairs to his bedroom.

**Aiden: Here's the vampire dude's cell number: 1-(415)-545-6574. Text him, and tell him I gave you his number. Do it!**

He was getting pretty tired of being bossed around by wolf people.

**Stiles: Fine. I'll do it tonight to get you and the puppy pals off my back.**

Stiles didn't even know what he was gonna say to this vampire guy. He hadn't spoken to him so much as one time.

**Stiles: Hi there. My name's Stiles. We have Mr. Whyler's class together. Aiden gave me your number. Hope that's okay.**

**Ranger: Oh, hey! I'm glad he gave you my number and I'm glad you decided to use it. I was just working on some homework. What are you up to?**

**Stiles: Nothing, really. Just got home, lying in bed.**

**Ranger: Sounds like you've had a long day.**

Stiles figured that it was a good time to add a spotof flirtation.

**Stiles: You know, I kinda have. I could really use a massage.**

**Ranger: What time should I be over?**

**Stiles: I like your sense of humor. Dirty, just like mine.**

**Ranger: But you know I think you're mad cute, right?**

**Stiles: So I've heard. Thank you, by the way.**

**Ranger: You're very welcome. We should hang out after school tomorrow.**

**Stiles: I don't see why not. I can introduce you to my friend Derek.**

If Stiles was gonna be forced into some sort of weird vampire date, he was gonna drag Derek along with him.

**Ranger: Sounds awesome.**

Stiles thought Ranger seemed like a fairly cool guy. It was too bad that they were gonna have to take him down. It seemed a little wrong to him, to get to know someone as part of a plan, but he understood that it needed to be done. Stiles was many things, and one of those things was logical.

**Stiles: You ready for our date tomorrow?**

**Derek: What?**

**Stiles: I got us a date with Ranger!**

**Derek: Who the hell is Ranger?**

**Stiles: That's the vampire's name, insensitive. Gonna go after the guy without even knowing his first name?**

**Derek: What? Why am I involved in this date?**

**Stiles: Because I told him that I'd introduce him to my friend Derek.**

**Derek: You idiot. You just made it that much harder to keep our cover.**

**Stiles: Well, I wasn't about to be the only one suffering in a plan that wasn't even remotely mine.**

**Derek: Whatever. I'm gonna take whatever steps necessary to stop this creep. When's our "date"?**

**Stiles: I'll let you know.**

Somehow, Derek didn't seem to be as upset as Stiles had expected. As a matter of fact, Stiles had kind of _hoped_ for a more upset reaction. It would have been a lot more satisfying, considering how Derek had just decided to use him like some sort of cheap vampire attractant. Ultimately, that was the last thought Stiles had before he fell asleep. Apparently, he'd drifted into unconsciousness before he had a chance to change, because he awoke fully dressed.

"Man, I must've been tired last night," Stiles thought aloud.

He glanced over at his alarm clock to discover that he had only twenty minutes to get ready for school. That was going to be the fastest shower ever. Somehow, Stiles managed to avoid receiving a speeding ticket as he sped toward the school.

"Not looking forward to next period," Stiles announced as he took a seat next to Scott and Isaac at the lunch table.

"Why not? I didn't know you hated that class," said Scott.

"No, next period is the period I have with Ranger. I haven't had very many _girls_ flirt with me, let alone a guy."

"Why are you so freaking hot?" Isaac complimented Stiles randomly.

"Well, thank you, Isaac." The praise was welcomed by Stiles and managed to put a blushing smile on his face.

"Actually, I was trying to help you become more comfortable with guys hitting on you, but you really are hot." Isaac shot him a wink.

"Thanks for the effort, but I guess not knowing what to expect is the most anxiety-activating part. He seemed cool when I was texting him, but I've heard about vampires' sex drives, and I wasn't planning on going that far for this little 'plan'."

"Stop worrying. Everything's gonna be _fine_," comforted Scott.

Sure enough, the moment Stiles entered the class, Ranger began to wriggle in his seat. Stiles assumed that Ranger had purposely made sure there was an empty desk in front of him. Stiles smiled awkwardly at Ranger before taking said seat.

"You smell good," Ranger said abruptly.

"_Let the creepiness commence_," Stiles thought. "Thanks, Ranger. Cool name, by the way."

"Thank you, but it's kinda dumb. Am I a park ranger, or the police type of ranger? Maybe I'm the cowboy type of ranger."

Stiles let out a genuine laugh. The guy was pretty funny. His personality managed to raise Stiles' comfort level around him.

"Don't forget to study," shouted Mr. Whyler after the bell had rang and the students were herding for the door.

"Wanna know where I'm taking you for our date?" Ranger asked Stiles, leaning against the adjacent locker as Stiles placed books in his.

"Whoa, whoa. I never officially said it was a date," Stiles said, smirking.

"True, but, if you let it be, I'll make it worth your while."

The statement made Stiles shiver in a way he did not expect. No one had spoken to him with such primal determination before. It admittedly made him a little hot under the collar.

"Yeah? Fine. It's a date. Where we goin'?"

"It's a surprise."

"Aw, what a setup," chuckled Stiles.

He was making Stiles smile more than most people did.

"Your friend Derek still coming?"

"Yep, as far as I know."

Somehow, Stiles didn't even want Derek to come anymore.

"Guess I'll have to keep my hands to myself then." He shot Stiles a wink.

Stiles couldn't do anything but blush at that moment. Ranger went in for a hug, which Stiles gladly reciprocated, before walking off toward his next class. The guy had _charm_, Stiles could not deny, but actually liking this guy was not part of the plan. Besides, it was probably a bad idea to develop a crush on someone who was a known murderer. Stiles knew that Ranger had probably killed that person by mistake, though. After some internet roving he'd done the night before, Stiles found out that feeding on humans' blood was a delicate process that could easily result in a fatality if not done carefully, and that most deaths caused by vampires were accidental.

After school, Stiles and Scott were walking toward the Jeep, only to discover a certain vampire leaning upon it.

"Hi, Ranger," said Stiles cheerfully.

"By the way, you can call me Arpy. It's like "RP", for Ranger Polis, but spelled out."

"Cool. Then hey, Arpy. This is my best friend, Scott."

"Hi there, man. Boy, he's freaking cute. You guys have never, uh, you know?" Arpy asked shamelessly.

"Oh, god no," Stiles expressed.

"Hey! You say it like I'm so un-sex-able. Thanks for the compliment, by the way, Arpy," said Scott.

Arpy nodded courteously in response.

"I'm pretty sure we had a conversation similar to this yesterday, Scott. If this keeps coming up, I'm gonna be forced to assume you wanna fool around," said Stiles.

"Anyway, I didn't want anything in particular. I just wanted to tell you that I'm probably gonna pick you and your friend Derek up at around seven," Arpy informed Stiles.

"Wow. I'm so used to picking other people up that I forgot _I_ could be picked up." Stiles glared a little at Scott, causing him to grin guiltily. "Text me the details?" Stiles asked.

"Sure."

Arpy walked toward his shiny black car, which Scott recognized as a Dodge Magnum SRT8.

"Pff. Rich kids," Scott chimed. "I hope you aren't falling for this guy."

"He's so _freaking_ good with words, but I'm pretty sure that's the only thing that's making me kind of attracted to him," explained Stiles.

"I hope so, but could it also be his good looks that are sort of attracting you to him?" Scott asked smugly.

"Not helping!"

"I've been meaning to ask why the hell _Derek_ is going on your date with you. Isn't that a little odd?" Scott asked as Stiles drove him home.

"First of all, it isn't technically a date, and second of all, it's to make me feel more comfortable, while _simultaneously _punishing Derek for putting me in this situation in the first damn place."

"I would imagine that made Derek pretty upset when you told him, huh? You did tell him?"

"Of course. Yeah, he, um, oddly enough, wasn't that upset."

"Weird."

"Yeah, I know."

"I mean, we're talking about Derek here. He like invented being upset," Scott said.

"He didn't seem anymore upset than usual after I texted to tell him that I'd shoehorned him into me and Arpy's plans," stated Stiles.

Scott shrugged, giving up on trying to figure out why Derek was being so civil.

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So, what does everyone think? I tend to try and update within a few days of the previous chapter. I know that a steady flow of updates keeps readers interested and happy. I certainly appreciate it when I'm reading a story. Again, thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoyed it.


	2. Date Night

Hello, readers! I know it's been more than a few days, but I am one busy 19 year old. Besides, I think you'll forgive me when you read this juicy chapter. I personally love it, and I think you all will too. I'm gonna try to post the next chapter a few days quicker than I posted this one, though. Enjoy!

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"You don't know how to tie a tie? Aren't you like twenty-nine?" Stiles ranted.

"You know I'm not that old, and do I look like the tie-wearing type?" Derek rebutted.

Derek and Stiles were in Stiles' bedroom. Stiles had texted him, begging him to come over so he could check his outfit. He was taking advantage of Derek's newfound submission toward him.

"Why am I even here, in your bedroom?" Derek asked.

"Because I don't want you rocking your usual depressed biker look on our date."

"Why do you care what I look like?"

"Because you're my friend, at least as far as Arpy knows, and that makes you a reflection of me."

Stiles watched Derek battle with the tie until he couldn't stand to watch the pitiful display any longer.

"Here. Let me," Stiles interrupted Derek's struggle.

Stiles could smell Derek's cologne as he corrected the tie. It was manly, unsurprisingly. Boy, did it smell good. He found himself leaning way too close to Derek and sniffing his lower neck area, almost involuntarily.

Derek didn't really mind. As a matter of fact, he took the opportunity to get a whiff of Stiles' hair, which was styled upwards as usual. It smelled clean. He could smell that Stiles had used some sort of ocean-scented shampoo. It was quite pleasing to the nose. Then, he got a whiff of something else, something very different. He inhaled again to make sure he was really smelling what he thought he was smelling. Was Stiles...aroused?

"Oh, crap. Sorry," Stiles said clumsily after almost falling into Derek's chest while smelling his cologne. "That cologne smells really good. At least you'll make a good impression on his nose, if nothing else." Stiles needed to get out of that room. He could not handle being with Derek at that moment. "We should probably go stand outside or something. Arpy's gonna be here soon." Fresh air was just what Stiles needed to cool down.

"I've been meaning to ask, since when is his name 'Arpy'? I thought it was Ranger," Derek inquired as they sat on the curb while waited for him to arrive.

"It's his nickname, a deviation of the letters 'R' and 'P', for Ranger Polis."

"Oh. Corny."

Arpy's car came to a halt in front of them a few seconds later.

"Hop in, boys," Arpy exclaimed.

Derek rolled his eyes at Arpy's liveliness. He hated pep.

"Nice to meet you." Arpy shook Derek's hand from the driver's seat. Derek was sitting behind the passenger's seat, which Stiles was inevitably in. "Might I just say, you are _gorgeous_," Arpy added while still holding Derek's hand.

"Thanks," Derek responded dryly.

"Stiles, why didn't you tell me all your friends are so hot?"

"You haven't even seen Jackson. He moved away, but he was definitely a looker...and also not really my friend, but that's besides the point," Stiles rambled.

"I supposed I should tell you where we're going now," Arpy purported as he pulled away from Stiles' house.

"That would be nice. You've left me hanging for a while now." Stiles smiled.

"It's a really nice restaurant in San Fran. On me."

"You really don't need to spend so much money on us."

"Trust me. You two are worth it."

Arpy had warned him of the establishment's fanciness, but Stiles still found himself splayed as he glanced over the sea of thirty-dollar entrées that graced the menu.

"Where are the cheeseburgers?" Stiles flipped the menu over three times.

"Well, you should have told me you preferred traditional food. These offerings don't really fit my palette either, but I was trying to make a good impression," Arpy chuckled.

"I told you that you didn't need to spend a fortune on us when we were in the car," Stiles said, glaring and smiling at Arpy because he knew that he remembered. "Leave the sarcasm to the professionals."

"I guess I did kinda defy you, huh?"

Derek's stomach was becoming upset at all the giggling and googly eyes that was going on between those two. If he had any sort of an appetite earlier, it was definitely gone now.

Stiles inhaled pleasantly as they stepped inside a different restaurant. "Ah. Now this is what I call a burger joint. Questionable sanitary standards, the sound of grease sizzling, and teenage mothers working the tables. Perfection."

"Your simplicity turns me _on_," Arpy stressed.

Stiles punched him in the arm. "You don't mask your insults well."

Arpy proceeded to laugh madly at Stiles' deconstruction of his contemptuous humor.

"Derek, you okay?" Arpy asked from across the table. The three of them had decided to sit in a booth and it seemed like the extent of Derek's food that he'd eaten was a few fries.

"Oh, I'm fine. Great, actually." Derek put on his best phony smile. He was miserable, but he wanted to keep their cover convincing.

"That's good to hear." Arpy smiled suspiciously.

"Oh, don't worry. He's always like that. He broods. He's a brooder," Stiles justified discourteously.

Derek wanted to yell "no I'm not", but it wasn't even worth the effort to lie.

"I'm gonna sit next to D so we can get to know each other better," Arpy explained as he left Stiles' side of the booth for Derek's. Derek hesitantly slid over to make room for him.

"D?" Derek _hated_ nicknames.

"Yeah. If we're gonna become buds, you need a nickname."

Derek swallowed his tongue. Arpy was feeling his muscles and he felt a little violated. Stiles looked entertained as he had his chin in his hands with his elbows on the table while watching the "show".

"How old are you anyway?" Arpy inquired.

"Older than you two," Derek evaded.

"Hot. I'm seventeen. Not technically legal, but I won't tell if you won't."

The statement implied sarcasm, but Arpy's expression _implied_ legitimate interest, Derek studied. Arpy started to talk to Stiles and his implied interest became _established_ interest after Derek felt his hand creep up, up, up from his knee to his groin area. Derek glanced at him with a disturbed expression, but he just smirked a little and continued to talk with Stiles, who was completely oblivious to the sexual harassment going on under the table. Arpy's hand was making an impression, despite the fact that it was separated from Derek's crotch by his jeans. He could tell that Arpy had done this before. Of course, he wanted him to stop, but it felt kind of amazing. Stiles must have noticed his heavy breathing because he stopped mid-sentence to ask him if he was alright, which made Arpy finally stop groping him. Stiles had probably just saved him from an unwanted release.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine," Derek assured Stiles. He wanted to go to the bathroom to cool off, but then Stiles might notice the outstanding bulge in his pants.

"Okay, weirdo. Well, I'm gonna hit the restroom really quick," said Stiles before getting up.

Derek waited until Stiles was completely out of sight before yelling at Arpy, who was already smiling deviously at him.

"If you're supposed to be on a 'date' with Stiles, why were you basically masturbating me under the table!? I almost...you know, reached that point!"

"Because you're fucking hot and I'm fucking horny," he said shamelessly, still grinning.

"Stiles isn't like most of the guys you probably _fuck_. He's sensitive, so don't _fucking_ hurt him." Derek wanted to stake him right then and there. His plan was going to shambles.

"No, no. You've got it all wrong. I wanna fuck _both_ of you. I figured I could bang Stiles and then you could bang me, or something along those lines. Tell me you don't want to."

"I don't want to."

"I don't believe you for a second. You said it yourself that you almost came when I was giving you that rad through-the-pants handy."

"Shut up, you disgusting slut. Stiles is coming back."

"What are you two ladies chatting about? Ha. I called you ladies." Stiles chuckled at his own humor.

"Just about how we should totally go back to my place and _hang_. You two are just a barrel of fun, especially Derek here."

"Derek actually getting along with someone? Call an ambulance," Stiles said before rolling his eyes.

Arpy's house looked awfully familiar from the outside. It was tall, white, and squared-off.

"This is Jackson's old house! Remember when I mentioned him?" Stiles exclaimed.

"Yeah. The good-looking one, right? What a coincidence. Where'd he move to, anyhow?" Arpy asked before sticking his key in the door.

"London. No idea why," said Stiles.

Stiles wondered as he walked into Arpy's bedroom if it was the same room Jackson slept in. He never thought he would enter Jackson's bedroom, even if it wasn't his any longer.

"Nice place." Stiles looked around Arpy's room.

"Thanks, but it's my uncle you should be complimenting. The house is technically his."

"Where is he?"

"He doesn't live here. He's in Chicago. He just pays for the house."

"Wow. That's awesome. So you live in this big thing alone?"

"Yep. Just me, myself, and I. Make yourself comfortable, Derek. You've been standing since you got in here. Have you never seen a bedroom before?" Arpy winked at him.

"Oh, I've seen a bedroom before. I'm just not so sure what happens in yours and I'm assuming that it would be wise to not touch anything. I'm guessing most of these items have been used in foreplay and a number of them have been up your ass, correct?"

"Derek!" Stiles whisper-yelled before walking over to him. "What is wrong with you? Why are you being so rude?"

"Clearly, you've forgotten what we're here for, which is to stop a _murderer_."

Stiles couldn't deny that he'd gotten lost in the seeming innocence of it all. "I guess you're right, but saying stuff like that doesn't help in any way."

"If you two are done gossiping, how about we decide what we're gonna do for fun?" Arpy recommended.

"Stiles, I'm gonna prove to you right now that this guy is up to no good," Derek whispered. "Come in the bathroom in about four minutes."

"What? Why?" Stiles was baffled.

"Just trust me," Derek assured Stiles before turning to Arpy. "Do you have some floss? I think I've got something stuck in my teeth from earlier."

"Sure."

Derek followed Arpy to his bathroom.

"Ah, here it is," he said before pulling the floss from the cabinet for Derek.

Derek proceeded to close the bathroom door and knock the floss out of Arpy's hand before grabbing his waist and kissing him deeply. Arpy became enveloped in the kiss and mangled Derek's hair with his hands as he darted his tongue into Derek's mouth.

"How about trying something else with that mouth," Derek suggested.

Arpy got on his knees and began to unbuckled Derek's belt with anticipation. Right on cue, Stiles opened the door to see him knelt down in front of Derek's unzipped jeans. Derek smirked and gave Stiles an "I told you so" look.

"Um, is this a bad time?" Stiles asked in a stupor.

"Nope. Actually, you're right on time," said Arpy. "Now I can suck both of you off."

"Uh, wow. I, um, don't know what to say." Stiles laughed awkwardly while scratching the back of his head. "Can we pause for a minute?"

"Sure. Just let me know when you're ready, 'cause I'm really horny," Arpy informed.

"I'll do that. I'm just gonna borrow this guy for a sec." Stiles grabbed Derek's arm and pulled him from the bathroom. Arpy sat on the floor and played with his phone.

"You said he was a bad guy, not a total pervert!"

"Well, I saw you starting to like him and I wanted you to know before I got rid of him that he only wanted you for sex anyway."

"I get it now...but do you have to _kill_ him?"

"I don't really wanna kill him anymore either. It's clear that he's just a horny kid who probably hasn't been a vampire for very long, but I've gotta do something." Derek was thinking. "Give me a minute alone with him in the bathroom."

"If you're gonna try and get a free blowjob out of this, I've just gotta say I've lost respect for you."

"That's not what I'm doing. Just wait here."

Derek went into the bathroom where Arpy was still sitting on the floor and closed the door. What followed were some very loud crashing noises and the sound of things breaking. When Stiles opened the door to see what the hell was going on, he was greeted by Derek holding a bloody and beaten Arpy by his neck against the white tile floor.

"Why did you kill that girl?" Derek asked Arpy viciously.

"I didn't mean to hurt her! I swear!" Arpy's teeth were covered with blood.

"Well, you did. Not only did you hurt her, you killed her. I _was_ gonna take this," Derek pulled a wooden stake from inside his jacket, "and shove it right through _here_." He firmly pressed it against Arpy's chest. "But I'm not gonna do that. I'm gonna give you a chance to _not_ be stupid. You can stay in Beacon Hills or you can leave town. I don't care. But if I even _think_ you've harmed another person, I _will_ kill you. Do you understand?"

Arpy gave an extremely fearful nod in agreement. Derek was listening to his heart. It sounded like it was on the verge of exploding. He released his neck.

"Come on, Stiles. Let's get out of here."

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Thanks for reading and I hope you all liked it! I look forward to reading your reviews.


	3. Rehabilitation

See. I said I'd upload this chapter a few days earlier than the previous one, and I did. Now have I earned you guys' trust? Anyway, I put a lot of emotion into this chapter. I felt something personal when writing certain parts of it that I could relate to. Things really take a turn toward the serious at this point in the story. I stayed up late to finish this one for you guys tonight, so enjoy.

* * *

"I haven't seen him in weeks," Stiles said to Scott and Isaac at the lunch table.

"If Derek had bloodied me like that, I probably would have left town too," Isaac stated.

"I just feel like he was kind of harsh on him, you know?" said Stiles, wishing he would have tried to restrain Derek that night.

"Stiles, he _killed_ someone, and he was a total horndog. Getting his ass beat was for the best. Trust me," Scott justified.

"Yeah, I guess."

Stiles hated his guilty conscience. The messed up part was that he later found himself standing in front of Arpy's house, ringing his doorbell, hoping that he was still there, because he needed to make peace over something that _Derek_ did. What was eating him up, though, was that he drew Arpy into a false sense of safety and friendliness, only for him to have his ass handed to him in his own bathroom. Even though the guy killed someone (whether it was by mistake or not) and tried to have a threesome with him and Derek, Stiles couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Through years of werewolf drama, Stiles learned that most "heinous" people were actually just extremely misunderstood.

"Arpy, I saw you look out of the window. It's just me. Derek isn't with me. Please come to the door. I just wanna talk," Stiles pleaded.

"Why should I believe you?" Arpy yelled through the door.

"Trust me. If Derek was with me and wanted to kill you, he'd be through the window and you'd be dead by now."

Arpy slowly cracked open the door, determined that Stiles truly was alone, and opened the door all the way.

"What do you want?" Arpy asked brutally.

"I just wanna talk."

"About what? I don't need your pity."

Stiles observed how Arpy had healed. Those shape-shifters and their health regeneration.

"I didn't know Derek was gonna go all psycho."

"No, he's right. I'm a murderer. He should have just killed me. If I wasn't such a coward, I'd do it myself."

"I know you didn't mean to kill that girl. I had read up on Vampires and how they sometimes accidentally killed while feeding. Is that what happened to you?"

"Even if that is what happened, I _killed_ her. There are no excuses for taking an innocent life."

"While that may be true, what's also true is that you can't take back things that you've already done. I've seen that lesson play out many times since entering the supernatural world."

Arpy looked appreciative of Stiles' advice. "Come in. It's cold."

Stiles was sitting on Arpy's white couch and admiring his living room as Arpy made tea.

"Don't you get lonely?" Stiles had to ask.

"Always. Sometimes, it becomes painful. I think that's why I have so much sex, as some sort of sick way to feel cared about. Sorry for leading you on, by the way. I know you probably weren't expecting me to come on to your friend."

"It's cool. Honestly, I get so desperate for love sometimes that I get attached to people too fast."

"For the record, I really do think you're an amazing guy, even outside of your looks. You coming here proves that."

"Thanks. I'm sure you're an amazing guy too when you aren't trying to have threesomes."

They both chuckled.

"Is Derek the only werewolf you know?"

"Oh, god no. I know at least five more."

"Wow. So you're, like, part of their pack?"

"I guess you could say that. I'm not a werewolf, though."

"I figured you weren't You're much too nice." Arpy smiled.

Arpy tried to go in for a kiss, but Stiles moved back.

"What's wrong?" Arpy asked.

"Nothing. It's just...how can you kiss me after my 'friend' almost ended you?"

"I can tell you're nothing like him. You're like no guy I've ever met before."

Those must have been the magic words because Stiles cupped Arpy cheeks and kissed him passionately. Arpy proceeded to grab Stiles' waist and start to lift his shirt.

"Whoa. Maybe we should wait. I think you could benefit from some non-sexual affection. Sex can sometimes make things seem less meaningful than they actually are. I mean, technically, I wouldn't know, because I'm a virgin, but I would imagine," Stiles rambled.

"Then let's just kiss. I just wanna feel close to you."

"Actually, I've got some homework and, uh, stuff to do, so I'd better go."

Arpy watched as Stiles awkwardly got up from the couch, stumbling from trying to get up so quickly, and left through the front door.

Stiles took a deep breath once he was behind the wheel of his car. He did _not_ need to get involved with a vampire who had that many issues. Considering the many issues he himself had, it seemed like a bad idea. He wanted to stay friends with Arpy, though. It seemed like he needed as many friends as he could get. When he got to a red light, Stiles texted Derek.

**Stiles:** **I need to talk to you urgently. Be home, because I'm coming over.**

When Stiles got inside, Derek was working out, as usual, which he stopped once he heard Stiles step in.

"What's so urgent?" Derek asked as he wiped his sweaty face with a towel.

"It's Arpy." Stiles noticed Derek's increase in attention when he mentioned Arpy's name. "I talked to him today."

"Uh, why?" Derek started doing pull-ups.

"Because, I felt kind of bad about how you brutalized him, so I payed him a visit and...some stuff happened."

"I'm surprised that punk is still in Beacon Hills, and what kind of stuff?"

"Romantic-type stuff. Anyway, I know you probably don't care. I'm just telling you because I want your opinion on whether or not you think it would be a good idea to get involved with this guy after, you know, everything."

"Of course not. The guy's a murderer." Derek's pull-ups got noticeably more intense.

"That's just the thing. Like he told you, he didn't _mean_ to kill that girl and-"

Derek dropped to his feet heavily from the pull-up bar. "If you aren't gonna take my advice, why did you even come here?" he said harshly.

"Because I-"

"Goodbye, Stiles."

Stiles watched in disbelief as Derek walked away and up the stairs. He guessed his period of being submissive toward him was over. He texted Scott on his drive home.

**Stiles: Need to talk. Derek being a jerk. Can I pick you up?**

**Scott: No need. Got Mom's car. Be there soon.**

"Hey there, Dr. Feelings. Your best friend is here, so lay it on me," Scott said while entering Stiles' room cheerily.

"So I went to Arpy's house," Stiles started.

Scott got in the bed with him, propped the side of his head up with his hand, elbow against the bed, and faced him with his best "I'm listening" face. "Uh huh," he invited Stiles to go on.

"And, long story short, we kissed."

Scott appeared not to know what to say.

"More specifically, he tried to kiss me, I resisted, he said some magic words, and I folded, thus forcefully kissing him, which he immediately tried to turn sexual, running me away," Stiles explained.

"Based on our conversation at the lunch table earlier, I'm assuming the only reason you were even back over there in the first place was because you felt some sort of misguided guilt?" Scott deconstructed.

Stiles nodded pitifully.

"Stiles! I told you that you have nothing to feel guilty about. You don't need to make out with him as some sort of peace offering."

"See, but that's just the thing. The making out part had nothing to do with me feeling bad. I just...wanted to."

"So you really like this guy, even after all the drama and after he, might I remind you, tried to have a threesome with you and Derek?"

"Yes? I don't know. I just feel like he could be a really great guy if someone would just give him a chance."

"Stiles, you never enter a relationship with the intention to change or 'fix' someone. That's just wrong."

"I've seen a lot of people hurt over the years, so yes, maybe part of the reason I like him _is_ because he's 'broken' like the rest of us and could potentially be fixed, but it's more than that. I think he genuinely cares for me, Scott. What more could I ask for? I don't get that a lot, Scott, apart from you, Allison, and my dad. I tried to talk to Derek about it and he just blew me off. I'm tired of the people that I think care about me leaving me or disappointing me in the end."

"This has nothing to do with your mom, Stiles. She didn't 'leave' you. It was out of anyone's control."

"Well, my relationship with Arpy is _in_ my control, so I'm gonna give it a chance."

"Well, I certainly can't blame someone for wanting to be happy, so go right ahead, but just keep an eye on his behavior. I don't believe the guy's stable."

The talk with Scott was just what Stiles needed. Although Scott hadn't been supportive of his choice to reciprocate Arpy's affection, Stiles had in that same conversation reassured _himself_ that Arpy deserved a chance. Hours after Scott had left, Stiles heard a few light taps on his window pane, rolling his eyes once discovering that it was Derek.

"You know, you should make a chart showing how many times you go through someone's window as apposed to their front door, although I assume most parents would be pretty suspicious if you showed up at their door asking to see their kid, so I can't really blame you," Stiles insulted him as punishment for walking off on him.

"I'm sorry, about earlier."

"You...apologize? I didn't even know you had that _function_," Stiles admired.

"I was a jerk when you needed someone to talk to and I'm sorry, but I do need to divulge something in my defense."

"Oh, yeah? And what's that?"

"Part of the reason I was so quick to end the conversation is because...I was feeling a little jealous. Actually, that's the entire reason."

"Jealous?"

"Jealous that you had gone over there, but especially that you had...kissed him."

"Why on Earth would you be jealous of that?"

"I don't know. Pack instinct? Even when you forced me into your date with him, I wasn't upset because I was glad to be able to monitor it."

Derek truly did not understand why his emotions had gone haywire while he was listening to Stiles talk about his kiss with Arpy, and why he had wanted to "monitor" his date. He could only assume that it was his way of being overprotective, but, despite his "protection", Stiles was still gonna welcome a relationship with Arpy. When Stiles walked into Mr. Whyler's class the next day, he was glad to see Arpy sitting in his usual desk.

"I'm so glad you decided to come back to school," Stiles said to Arpy as he assumed the desk in front of his.

"I figured there was no reason in missing anymore school since you made me feel completely better."

"Well, that's what I'm here for." Stiles smiled.

Arpy was evidently so appreciative of Stiles that he felt the need to take the blame for him when his phone went off during a test.

"Mr. Stilinski." The teacher put his hand out for Stiles' phone, but was actually supplied with Arpy's.

"Sorry, Mr. Why. It was mine. It won't happen again," Arpy admitted falsely.

The teacher grumbled a bit and walked back toward his desk. Stiles wrote a note on a piece of paper and passed it back to Arpy, being careful as to not be caught.

_You know Mr. Whyler docks 15% when your phone goes off during class, don't you? You didn't have to take the blame for me._

Arpy quickly wrote a response on the same sheet of paper and cautiously passed it back to Stiles.

_You're worth fifteen percent._

"So, let me get this straight. _Your_ phone went off during the test and _Arpy_ got 15% of his test grade demolished?" Isaac recapped during lunch.

"Yes. I was surprised too. I didn't know whether to feel appreciative or creeped out," said Stiles.

"Sounds like a clinger alright. Dump him," Scott recommended.

"You just want me to dump him because you don't trust him, which I wouldn't be able to do anyhow because we aren't technically dating yet. All that sacrifice really showed was that he's a great guy. You're a great guy, Scott. Would you have done that for Allison when you guys were dating?"

"Well, we all know how important it is that I keep my grades up, so no. My pitiful academic history kinda makes me biased, though. Ask Isaac."

"Isaac, would you...nevermind." Stiles stopped himself.

"Hey, why won't you ask me?" Isaac inquired.

"Because you're Isaac. Everyone knows you wouldn't do anything that nice."

"I would have sex with you if you asked me to. That's awfully nice, isn't it?"

Stiles rolled his eyes. "I've gotta get to my next class."

When Stiles got to the parking lot after school, rather than seeing Scott's motorcycle parked next to his Jeep, he saw Arpy's car parked there, which Arpy was leaning upon.

"You love leaning against cars, don't you? I must admit, it suits you."

"Why, thank you. I just wanted to see you one more time before we went home."

"I wanted to see you too, but I also wanted to ask you something that may freak you out a little."

"Oh, yeah? And what's that?"

"My 'friends' and I have these lame 'meetings' sometimes at Derek's place. I know Derek is probably the last person you wanna see, like, ever, but I was hoping that maybe you'd wanna come with? I just want you to feel included in my life, because I do consider you a friend."

"While that's sweet and all, I don't think Derek would appreciate my presence amongst his midst, especially in his own abode." Arpy looked coy. Stiles didn't like that look on him. He liked the usual socially-forward Arpy.

"If Derek makes you feel uncomfortable at any point, we can leave, but I think you should at least give it a chance. I really like you, Ranger."

Hearing that made Arpy's heart skip a beat and gave him the push he needed to say yes. After trailing Stiles to his house so he could drop his Jeep off, Arpy drove Stiles and himself to Derek's residence.

"Are you sure about this?" Arpy asked Stiles as they sat outside of Derek's dwelling.

"Totally. Derek may be a cruel bastard, but he has decent control over himself. Most of the things he does have been completely planned out in his mucky mind, believe it or not."

"So that would include beating me senseless?"

"I guess so..." Stiles observed how his explanation of the unexplainable Derek had come back to bite him in the ass. "Look, try not to worry about it too much, okay? I promise that everything will be fine," Stiles attempted to reassure. His words only partially comforted Arpy, who nodded halfheartedly in response.

* * *

What'd you guys think? I look forward to reading your reviews.


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